A Whirlpool of Emotions
by CadaveroInummera
Summary: Two completely different shinobi meet one day on a distant battlefield, a meeting that would change their lives forever. A KushinaxMinato fanfic. Rated M for safety.
1. Reinforcements

The mist around her grew thicker. Her heartbeat seemed amplified, the sound of it heavy on her ears, the beat of it steady. The damp, moist surroundings made it difficult to breathe correctly. Even after months of being stationed here, she would never get used to it. And now she wouldn't have to anymore. Death was close.

"Kushina....call for backup one more time, maybe they'll send someone this time." A voice from the mist. Kushina thought it was her friend and fellow Chuunin, April, but she wasn't sure. The mist had clouded her head too much.

The radio had been nothing but fuzz for about fifteen minutes, or was it fifteen hours? Days? She didn't know anymore. There was just the mist, and the occasional sound of battle somewhere outside of it. _The radio....that's right...backup._

She put it to her lips and pressed the button on top. No sound seemed to come out of her mouth. She couldn't talk no matter how she tried. The mist got thicker. Something was wrong. With her? _No...with the mist. This mist...it's....strange._

"Kushina....the radio....call for..." The voice again. It was definitely April.

The radio cackled once, a voice barely making it through the fuzz. She couldn't hear April anymore, couldn't feel the other Chuunin at her side. What had happened to the rest of her squad?

"Whirlpool squad alpha...come in! Squad alpha, do you copy?"

It was a man's voice. Something told Kushina to reply, but no sound came out. She tried to talk, to tell the man that alpha squad was still there, but the mist grew thicker and the radio fell from her hand.

"Reinforcements en route. Alpha squad, get out of there! I repeat, get out of that area! The Mizukage has created some mist that disrupts communications and clouds judgment! DO NOT go in the mist!"

A warning. Kushina acknowledged it. She made it a point to remember not to go into any mist. But this was Kirigakue, and there was mist everywhere. How was that supposed to work? All of a sudden the mist started to evaporate and the area around her became clear. She spotted April, lying in the mud in a pool of blood. Her head had been cracked open by what looked like a kunai wound.

Slowly, her senses became clearer and she could think straight again. An alarm sounded in her head as she remembered the warning from the walkie talkie. A mist...that clouds judgment. She and April had been caught in it. And now April was dead. She had gotten careless and led her friend into a trap. Tears almost came but she held them back. Now was not the time to grieve.

Picking up her radio, she located the nearest building and hunkered down inside. She could feel enemy chakra levels approaching her position, and fast. She only hoped the reinforcements that had been promised to the area would arrive quickly. She estimated that she only had about five or six minutes left.

Picking up April's body, she moved it to the building she was in. She wouldn't let her friend's body be left here. As she was doing so, she sensed more chakra levels coming from behind her, but these were different. Much different. These must be the reinforcements promised her, and it looked as if they would arrive before the enemy shinobi.

They came into sight around a bend in the road a few hundred meters. There was a natural fog in the air, so it was hard to catch a good glimpse at them. Her heart immediately sunk. _Only one squad...what the hell where they thinking? How are they supposed to beat so many enemies with only three people?_

But as they came closer, Kushina saw that they were like no ninja she had even seen before. She began to raise her kunai but the chakra levels were so high that all she could do was gape. She couldn't lift a finger, even if it was the enemy. The three ninja planted themselves in front of her and she took in their appearance.

Two of them had masks on. They must be ANBU. They were decorated too, awards and medals up and down their jounin vests. The one in the middle was where the chakra power was coming from though. He stood almost a head taller than the ANBU, and his vest was full of decorations. She went to her knees immediately and bowed her head. She brought her eyes up to look at him, and she noticed the one thing she knew she'd find. His golden hair, damp from the moisture in the air, sat on his head, spiky and bordered by a shinobi headband bearing the Konoha symbol on its crest. _Impossible._

"What's the situation here ma'am?" The Yellow Flash asked, crossing his arms and examining his surroundings. The moisture and the dampness did not seem to exist to him, and if it did, he showed no signs that it had an affect. Kushina was still tongue tied, amazed that they sent such a shinobi for reinforcements.

"Um....I....my squad was....ambushed....caught in the mist." She sputtered, barely managing to pronounce everything correctly.

"I see. Can you still fight?"

"Yes, I'm unharmed...but the rest of my squad...."

"Good. I need you to assist these ANBU here in escorting some civilians we stumbled upon. Get them to safety." The Yellow Flash ordered.

He walked past Kushina and she shuddered. She stood up and headed towards the two ANBU, who handed her a kunai with a strange seal wrapped around the handle. One of them spoke, in a deep voice, directly to her.

"We'll need you to throw one of these at the enemy shinobi approaching our position. Get them as close as you can. Minato-sama will take care of the rest." Kushina took the kunai and prepared to throw it.

"On three. One....two....three!" Three kunai flew past the Yellow Flash just as the Kirigakure ninja came into view through the trees ahead. Kushina looked back at this "Minato" but was shocked to see him gone. The Kirigakure ninja fell as one, dozens of them falling straight to the ground, wisps of blood hanging in the air before falling.

One of the ANBU tapped her on the shoulder and sped off, prompting her to follow. She didn't dare look back.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

**So that's the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it, even though it was kind of boring. Please REVIEW. I love reviews, they're almost as good as cookies. XD**

**Chapter 2 coming soon!**


	2. Nowhere is Home Again

Kushina's eyes popped open. Facing the window, she could see it was probably well past midday. It was hard to tell here, in Konoha. The weather was radically different from what she had experienced all her life in the Whirlpool country. She sat up and got out of bed, going to the closet where they had some clothes stored in her size.

Her room here was simple, but it was all she needed. A bed, a closet, a mirror, a washbasin, and a balcony. The balcony gave her a decent view of a good part of Konoha, and she had been overwhelmed by its sheer size. The Whirlpool village was nowhere near this big, and it definitely did not have entire hotels devoted to housing refugees and allied ninja.

"How are you feeling?"

Kushina spun at the sound of a woman's voice. She came face to face with one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She backed up, stammering apologies and introducing herself.

"Kushina. Such a beautiful name. How old are you Kushina?"

"I'm...17 ma'am. May I ask what you're doing in my bedroom?"

"Allow me to introduce myself first if I may. I am Tsunade. You're pretty jumpy this morning? I'm guessing it's all that fighting you did yesterday. Well, don't worry; you won't be doing any fighting for awhile. We've scored a great victory in the Kirigakure."

"A victory? You mean....we won? How is that even possible? Everyone was dead!" Kushina shouted, and then fell quiet; surprised she had gotten so emphatic. Tsunade showed no surprise though.

"Not everyone was dead. We managed to defeat most of the Kirigakure ninja but we couldn't take the center of the village. Without Whirlpool and Sand village support, we didn't have enough shinobi." Tsunade said with a serious look.

"I see....wait....what do you mean without Whirlpool support? Are you saying.....that there are no Whirlpool shinobi left?" Kushina asked, expecting the worst and preparing for it.

"I'm afraid that I don't quite know. No one does. There were three known squads of shinobi from Whirlpool left during the battle that we had contact with. We lost contact with two of them. The other was your squad. You are the only survivor of that squad at the moment. We located the bodies of three other Chuunin in your squad, but couldn't find your team leader. There is still a chance he, along with the other two squads, may be alive." Tsunade said gravely, putting a hand on Kushina's shoulder.

"Then we have to look for them! We can't just leave them to die! The mist ninja will tear them apart!"

"Relax Kushina...we are looking for them. So far we haven't been successful. The fog is hampering our communications, so our search parties can't get too far out. If we can't make it to the village center, we can't capture the Mizukage and stop the fog." Tsunade said.

"I see....so what am I going to do? Konoha is no place for me. I don't know anyone here." Kushina insisted.

"You'll be fine. You'll fit right in. You're a pretty, charming 17 year old girl. You'll make friends. Besides, we need you here. You may be the last surviving Whirlpool shinobi. Your village will not die out if Konoha has anything to say about it. So please...be comfortable here Kushina." Tsunade said, giving her an easy smile. Kushina returned the smile.

"Thank you Tsunade. Please, give me any word if you here about the missing Whirlpool shinobi." Kushina said.

"Of course I will. You should rest now, you had a hard time out there. Or you could explore the village. There are tons of things to do you know. I have to be going. There are many wounded shinobi who need my assistance." Tsunade said as she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kushina sighed and sat down on her bed. She let it sink in. She let sink in the fact that all of the friends she had made over the years were probably now dead. She thought of April. April, dead because of her. But what exactly had happened to her? Maybe she could find out if she asked some of those ANBU that she came here with. But they seemed so quiet, only speaking when necessary.

She was cast out of her dark thoughts by the sudden feeling of curiosity. What exactly was Konoha like? She had heard stories in her own village, before it collapsed, but now she had a chance to experience it firsthand. She smiled and turned to her mirror. Her long red hair was sort of messy, but nothing she couldn't handle. She had changed out of her worn ninja clothing the night she had arrived, donning a simple dress that she could sleep in.

Opening her closet, she picked out an outfit. It was a little too form fitting and brought out certain areas of her body a bit too much, but she didn't mind. She tidied up her hair and looked herself over one more time. Chuckling and giving herself a thumbs up she leapt onto the balcony and let herself fall into the lobby area of the hotel.

Konoha was booming this time of day, and as she continued deeper into the center of the city the crowds grew thicker. She saw few ninja in the crowd, and those that she did see were of low rank. _Of course....most of the ANBU and jounin are fighting in the war right now._

She wondered where the Hokage was. No doubt in the central government building. Her interest was piqued. She would love to see a Kage. She had only seen one in her entire life, from the Rain village. But she was very small at the time and she could barely remember. All she remembered was the amazing feeling that his chakra had. It was like none she had ever felt before.

She headed to the central government building, leaping up onto the rooftops to get a better view of its location. She almost gasped as her eyes fell on a one of the biggest things she had ever seen. _This must be the Hokage monument. _

Three giant faces carved into the side of the mountain that guarded one possible route into Konoha. She ripped her eyes away from it, for fear of losing track of time while staring at its splendor. She headed toward the center of the village.

Finally, she found herself at the entrance to the building. It was a round, light red structure with a few guards clustered around it. Chuunin and Jounin on patrol eyed her warily. Of course, she was an outsider, no matter how much Tsunade seemed to make her feel at home. _Home. Nothing will ever seem like home again. _

The huge iron double doors squeaked on their hinges and the sound of shouting from the inside caught her attention. She saw someone come through the double doors and almost gasped. His yellow hair caught the sun and made him stand out to her instantly. _It's him._


	3. An Encounter

Minato stepped out of the meeting room, hearing the double doors shut behind him, he sulked down the steps and stopped at their base. People streamed by in the street in front of him. People noticed him and they were never quiet about it. Despite his sour mood, he couldn't help but smile because of this. He sensed another presence on the steps. Before he could confront it, he was tackled out of nowhere onto the hard stone ground.

"MINATO-KUN! Oh I thought you'd never come back to me my sweetie pie!"

"Oh big strong Minato! Please take me home with you, I'll be a good girl!

"No, forget them! Take me instead! I'm better than all these hussies!"

Minato fought his way out from under the pile of fan girls and tried to find a way out. _Damn, time to take evasive maneuvers. _He body flickered into the crowd in the street. He knew it wouldn't keep them off of him for long, however. His bright yellow hair would attract them like bees to honey. He slipped into the nearest alleyway stealthily, taking a few looks around to make sure they hadn't seen him. They numbered about a dozen. _Smaller than usual, that's..._

"Pretty popular, aren't you.....Minato-kun?" A mocking voice said from behind him.

He spun to see a girl, who couldn't be any older than 16 or 17, planted firmly in the alleyway before him. She had her arms crossed across her breasts, and a sly smile on her face. The light in her eyes made it seem like she was laughing at a joke only she could see, but they were concentrating on him. They were examining him, judging him, and weighing him. _Why do I have the feeling that she's trouble in human form?_

"You're the shinobi from the Whirlpool. The one my ANBU rescued." Minato said, taking a few looks back to the street to see if the girls had found him yet.

"And you're the Yellow Flash, the man in the stories. Tell me....what was that jutsu you used back there?" Kushina asked, cupping her chin and looking at him questioningly.

"Eh, just call me Minato please. The jutsu I used is something only I can do. I can't really give out its secret. Sorry girl. I have to go."

With those words, Minato turned and started to walk out into the street. _Coast should be clear...for the most part. _He was almost in the crowd when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see the girl. Her eyes no longer held their amused light. Now, they were full of pain.

"I need your help, Minato."


	4. Please Help Me

"My help? Well....what exactly do you need miss?" Minato asked, turning around to face her and scratching his head.

"My squad. Both of my teammates are dead. They died fighting the Mist shinobi. However, they say my jounin team leader made it out of the battle alive. It isn't confirmed but....I just think he had to have made it. He was skilled." The girl explained, pacing back and forth in the alleyway and shooting him an occasional stare.

"And...you want me to find him I'm guessing?" Minato asked.

"Yes. They're searching already, but they can't go to deep into the battlefield without stepping into enemy territory. The search parties would be killed. You however....you're the Yellow Flash, you're the unbeatable ninja everyone talks about. You could get in and out and be able to search for my sensei with no problems at all." The girl said, watching Minato's face with intelligent eyes.

"Girl, it's not that easy. The Mizukage might already have hold of him by now." Minato said, expecting her excitement to falter, but it did not.

"There's a chance that he isn't captured. He and the other Whirlpool squads! Maybe they're hiding out! We can never know until we try to find them! Please Yellow Flash! I need your help! You're the only one that can help me right now!" The girl was holding back tears and Minato could tell.

He watched her as she shook with emotion in front of him, flustered and pleading. _How can I refuse this girl? She has such spirit. _He closed his eyes and bowed his head, preparing himself to deliver his answer. Finally, his eyes met hers again.

"I cannot. I am sorry, but I am needed for other battles in the war. I cannot ignore the needs of many in order to go after one person, even if I may find more of your comrades along the way, Whirlpool shinobi. I hope you understand." Minato said, hoping he wouldn't upset her too much.

"I do understand. It was selfish of me to ask in the first place. Please forgive me, Yellow Flash." She bowed her head, a deep sign of respect to a higher authority.

Minato was shocked by her reaction, and guilt and sympathy overrode everything in his heart. She just wanted to see and protect her people. She just wanted the people she cared for to be safe. It was the exact same thing he wanted to do. He couldn't help but have admiration for the spirit she had shown when she had asked him to help her. He lifted her chin up with his hand.

"I know you think you have to be so respectful towards me, but really don't bother. And please...for the second time...call me Minato. Sheesh, some people never learn."

"If you say so....Minato." The girl replied, looking at him with those measuring eyes again.

"Haha, there you go. Where was all that slyness I saw before?" Minato asked, smiling when he saw her smile.

"Oh...it disappears when I'm looking at a very handsome person." The girl said, her lips still curved upward in a smile.

"Does it now? And who exactly might you be talking about?" Minato asked, stroking his hair and looking at her expectantly.

"Not you...of course. Now excuse me, I have to get back to my hotel room for dinner."

The girl began to walk away, leaving Minato slack jawed in her wake. Just before she blended into the crowd, Minato walked quickly after her.

"Wait a minute, I never got your name! Hey, Whirlpool shinobi, what's your name?"


	5. A Wolf to Lead His Pack

"I didn't expect to see a woman walking away from you, Minato."

Minato turned away from the crowded street to address the voice behind him. He was instantly annoyed as Jiraiya stepped forth from the dark alley. The toad sage broke out in a grin as he saw Minato's bewildered expression.

"Sensei......you had a total creepy molestor-in-a-dark-alley vibe there."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Well it wasn't meant to – "

"............."

".............."

"............................."

"......................................."

"Minato, that really hurt my feelings."

"I'm sorry, sensei."

"No....do not worry about it esteemed student! Let us mend this moment with a hug of the utmost manliness."

"..............OK, now you're just being creepy again."

"Do you two ever stop playing around!" Tsunade's voice broke in suddenly, causing both men to practically jump out of their skin. She landed nimbly in the alley between the two men, looking annoyed and angry.

"You've even resorted to watching me from the rooftops Tsunade? I didn't know you found me that attractive." Jiraiya said confidently, stroking his chin and smiling.

"Right....and the only reason I'm not beating the hell out of you right now is because I have to deliver orders to wonder boy over here." Tsunade said, cracking her knuckles in a threatening manner, causing Jiraiya to shrink into the corner with sobs of anguish.

"Wait a minute Tsunade...did you just call me wonder – "

"Shutup Minato. You've got new orders from Lord Hokage. He has gotten word of a possible invasion by our enemies. He wants you to lead the defense force. Jiraiya and I are needed elsewhere, or else we'd probably be assigned to it." Tsunade said, watching Minato to make sure he took all the information in.

"An invasion? When exactly does he think it'll be taking place?" Minato asked, scratching the back of his head and looking doubtful.

"In a few days, two at the least, three at the most. He wants you to be ready. He believes the attack force will mostly be made up of Rock ninja....and maybe some from the Mist, though I think we both know what's happened to their military forces lately." Tsunade said, looking amused as Minato smiled slyly.

"Will the Lord Hokage be amongst our defenses? It would be useful, seeing as how we could encounter Kage level shinobi." Minato asked.

"No. He believes you and the ANBU can handle any.....difficult opponents you may encounter. But we need you to be ready. This war is running us ragged. Look at these people," Tsunade said, beckoning to the crowded street and the busy people going on about their lives, "This could all disappear Minato...before we even know it. All these people's lives could be changed in a moment, and we may be powerless to stop that. We need you to be ready."

"I am always ready, Tsunade-sama." Minato said, determination set in stone in his features.

"I know. Jiraiya and I are here to help you, as well as the Sarutobi-sensei, if you need any assistance at all. We've got your back." Tsunade said, clapping Minato on the shoulder.

"May I add one thing?" Jiraiya said from, slipping up between them like a viper.

"What is it?" Minato and Tsunade said in unison.

"I was just thinking that now would be a great time to go eat something."

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Gotta love that Jiraiya huh? I know I do. That being said, I'll have plenty of KushinaxMinato moments coming up. Just stick with it. Gotta go through character development and all that jazz. Also, the chapters may start getting longer. Hopefully you guys don't stop reading because future chapters become three times this length or something.**

**Thank you, and please continue reviewing/favoriting this story. I love all of you!**


	6. Emergency Use Only

Minato walked amongst the outer wall of Konoha, watching the outer guard squads pensively. The rain had forced him to wrap himself up in a heavy cloak. He drew up the collar and examined the surrounding forest. _They could come right up to the wall and we wouldn't even know it until they did._

"Sensei?" Obito asked beside him.

"What is it, Obito?" Minato replied, eyes still searching the countryside.

"Do you think Kakashi is alright down there?"

"Of course he is. Kakashi is a capable shinobi, he no longer needs me to guide him." Minato said, giving Obito a reassuring smile.

"Being the forward guard is quite an honor. Why aren't you down there sensei?" Obito asked, curious.

"I don't know. It was the Hokage's decision, not mine." Minato lied, laughing when Obito looked even more confused than before.

"Obito, quit bothering sensei. He's got a lot on his mind right now." Rin said, popping out of the blue and causing Obito to jump out of his skin. Rin smiled at Minato, who returned her smile and ruffled Obito's hair. _They shouldn't be here. I'll make sure to assign them somewhere else before the real fighting starts._

*****************************

Kushina scanned the trees around her with a keen eye, looking for movement or any sign of Iwagakure headbands through the green surrounding her. Her team was fanned out to each side of her. Their Jounin team leader patrolled just ahead of her, a young grey haired boy named Kakashi. She did not expect such a young ninja to be so knowledgeable, but it was so. _Konoha continues to surprise me._

She had also been given a special kunai with a strange seal on it. Something about it tickled her memory, but she couldn't quite place where she had seen it before. She dismissed it as a strange fancy. The rest of her squad had also been given one. All Kakashi had said was that it was only to be used in the most extreme emergencies. _How this is supposed to be any different from a normal kunai is beyond me._

The seal on the handle was like nothing she had ever seen, and was so complicated she thought she could spend days trying to figure out what it was. Kakashi stopped abruptly in front of her, putting out his hand to signal the other five under his command to stop.

"There are enemies ahead." Was all he said.

The squad all came together. Kushina looked around at her five other companions. They were all Jounin with the exception of her and one other person, who also happened to be the only other woman in the group, Shizune. She was even younger than Kushina, but still older than Kakashi. The only other person that looked to be under 20 was a Jounin named Aoba, who was on par with Kakashi in terms of skill. She had forgotten the names of the other three, but even having just met them, they had been very kind and welcoming. Right now, though, they were all business and all were looking ahead with anticipation. Another thing Kushina marveled at. It was if the Konoha shinobi _enjoyed _fighting.

"OK, Kushina and Saizo, you take the left. Judging from the chakra I'm feeling, they can't outnumber us by any more than a few. Saizo, you specialize in fighting multiple enemies, and that's where the most of them will be coming from. Kushina, you watch his back. As for the left side, Aoba and Shizune will take care of that. Jashin and Li, you follow me. We'll attack the center and provide support to each side if need be. Move out!"

Kushina leapt among the trees, following Saizo. A kunai whizzed through the trees ahead of them and went far right of both of them. Saizo was already making handsigns. Kushina's fingers began flashing with the use of them as well.

"Let me take care of this, Kushina. You just be the rear guard for now." Saizo yelled back to her.

Kushina nodded and stopped the preparation for her jutsu. If Saizo thought he could handle it, then he should have no problem. Three enemy shinobi sprung out of the trees in front of them, all heading for Saizo. Saizo sidestepped a kick from one, grabbed his foot and sent the man flying before the other two managed to get an attack in. Suddenly, though, he flew back into one of the trees as a kick landed on his chest.

"Haha! Second rate Leaf Jounin eh? You're gonna have to do better than that." The Rock ninja said, heading towards an unconscious Saizo with a knife in his hand.

Kushina sprung into action, performing a quick disarm maneuver, breaking the Rock ninja's wrist in the process. The man yelled in pain as Kushina released him and dodged a kick from the last remaining enemy. She counterattacked but that was blocked. Dropping backwards, she spun and aimed a kick at the enemy's head, but it was blocked. The enemy's stomach was wide open due to his hands blocking his head, so she surged forward and delivered a swift elbow to his midsection.

The man gasped for air and dropped to one knee. Kushina brought her elbow down on the back of his neck and heard it snap before the man fell motionless. She picked up the kunai and went over to the other ninja, who was cradling his wrist and just beginning to stand.

"I suggest you surrender. You can't fight me with your wrist injured like that." Kushina said, folding her arms expectantly.

"You're right, I can't fight you. But he can." The rock nin pointed behind her, and she spun only to be kicked squarely in the face.

She grunted in pain and felt herself flying through the air, her eyes shut with the pain. The ground hit her and knocked all the air out and she felt someone pick her up by the collar. Wincing in pain, she felt hot breath on her face.

"I'm going to fucking kill you because of what you did to my wrist. Time to die, bitch."

She felt a kunai press to her throat. The man Saizo had thrown apparently wasn't dead, and had arrived in time to save the ninja who was now about to kill her. She reached in her pocket slowly, so as not to attract attention to her movements, and felt the kunai with the special seal. She grabbed it and rapidly brought it out, slashing at the man's outstretched arm. She felt the enemy kunai nick her throat as the man tried to slash her throat before she could pull away.

The ninja stumbled back, holding his other arm, which was gushing with blood. Both of their kunai spun away into the forest. She saw Saizo stir but barely had time to think about him, as the last remaining enemy ninja walked towards her with an arrogant saunter.

"Quite impressive. But I'm afraid it's not going to be good enough. You see my two companions are nothing like me. They may have been nothing special, but I am another story. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to kill you."

Kushina leapt forward to meet him, bringing up her hand to block his incoming fist as they reached one another. She blocked a furry of his punches, but one of them got through, connecting with her mouth and causing blood to seep out from between her lips as she dodged and parried. _Damn, he's fast. All I can do is defend. Ugh....I have to beat this bastard!_

The enemy was smiling as he pounded away at her. She increased her speed and attacked with renewed ferocity, putting him on the defensive for a change, causing his smile to change from a surprised look, to a look of concentration.

She smiled as she knew her next hit would land, but her foot gave way as her leg came up and she stumbled to the ground at the man's feet. Her face hit the wet grass and the wind was knocked out of her as her torso crashed against the ground.

"Slippery grass eh princess?" The man said, chuckling and putting his foot on her head.

_It can't end now. _She spun on the ground, a leg coming up and catching the man in the stomach. He grabbed onto her leg and twisted and she felt it snap. Screaming in pain, she took her other leg and jammed the man in the face. He fell backward, blood squirting into the sky above him. Kushina's broken leg hit the ground with a sickening snap and she screamed as the pain jolted up her leg and into her hip.

She tried desperately to get up, but every attempt left her flat on the ground, gasping in pain. She heard the enemy getting to his feet, mumbling curses under his breath. She heard the sound of a kunai being drawn. She rolled over on the ground and turned to face the man, who was walking toward her with a murderous look.

"Time to end this shit." The enemy said, smiling through the blood running down his chin.

He charged at her with the kunai. She fumbled in her pockets for another weapon but couldn't manage to find one. The sealed kunai had been all she had stored away. She desperately tried to devise a plan in the mere seconds of life she had left, but could think of nothing. She was going to die here.

"What the hell!?" The enemy shinobi yelled, drawing her out of her thoughts.

She looked to see that the kunai in the enemy's hand had disappeared completely. In fact, so had his headband. Both had just vanished without a trace. The man's hands went to his forehead in shock and he blinked a few times as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Suddenly, cuts appeared all over the man's body, slicing his clothing and cutting through him as if he was tissue paper. Blood sprayed in every direction and the man fell forward into a pool of his own blood on the forest floor. Kushina laid, her leg causing her nearly unbearable pain, stunned at what she had just seen.

"Are you ok?"

The voice came from behind her, and her head swiveled immediately to see a yellow haired ninja crouching beside her, holding an Iwagakure headband in his hand.


	7. A Strange Sickness

"I'm.....fine. How....how did you get here?" Kushina asked, trying not to let it seem like she was too surprised.

"Fine? I see." Minato replied, taking a cloth out of his pocket and dabbing at the wound on her neck. Kushina took it from him quickly.

"I can do it myself." She said defensively, cleaning up the wound and wrapping the soft cloth around her neck. Minato sat and watched.

"You always seem to find a way to get yourself into trouble, don't you?" He said, looking amused.

"Very funny. The trouble found me this time." Kushina said, again being defensive.

Minato just laughed and examined her leg, pulling up her pant leg. She winced and gasped in pain as he pressed on certain areas. _Geez buddy, at least be a little gentle. When this leg heals I'm going to twist your leg too and see how you.....OUCH!_

"Your leg is badly broken. You won't be doing any more fighting for awhile. No....don't skulk. It's for your own good." Minato said, standing up and looking at her as if she was a child and he the teacher.

"And since when do you tell me when and when I can't fight?" Kushina said furiously, leaning up as much as she could without hurting her leg.

"I'm the leader of all of our defensive forces as well as your commanding officer. Besides, do you plan to fight with one leg?" Minato said calmly, crossing his arms and tilting his chin backwards. Kushina felt a strong urge to punch him in the jaw. _Punch the Yellow Flash? I must be insane._

"Besides, just because I told you that you could call me Minato, doesn't mean you don't have to show me respect." He added, trying to look important.

She sighed and lay her head down on the grass as Minato examined Saizo. She thought how close she had been to dying. She had been in battles before, but never one like that, without anyone to help her. She still couldn't believe that she slipped so easily. It cost her dearly. Hell, it had almost cost her life.

"Hey, I never did get that first name."

She looked up in surprise as Minato approached her, smiling and holding the kunai with the special seal that she had used earlier. She could've spent the entire day searching in the forest for that thing, and here he turned it up in a matter of seconds. She quelled her jealousy.

"It's Kushina." She replied, looking away in anger.

"Does this Kushina have a last name? It's just.....Kushina? Well that's strange." Minato said, scratching his head and looking at her with mock curiosity.

"Uzumaki. Kushina Uzumaki is my name." She finished, trying to suppress a smile as recognition lit up Minato's features.

"I see. Well, Kushina Uzumaki, you're in luck. I'm going to get you and Saizo over here to safety. But not before I take care of these guys." Minato said.

Kushina gasped when she realized that they were surrounded by what must have been a dozen Rock shinobi. She looked back to say something to Minato, only he was gone. One of the Rock shinobi ran towards her and almost reached her, before his eyes widened and he fell in a crumpled heap on the floor. A streak of blood hung in the air where he once stood. A few others soon fell, and the rest fled, some being cut down in their retreat. She saw a streak of yellow and before she knew it, she was being lifted by someone with great strength and was speeding through the forest.

Suddenly, she was on top of Konoha's outer wall, behind the battle cluster, Leaf shinobi moving here and there. It took her a while to realize that Minato was holding her, and he gently put her down on a blanket next to another wounded shinobi, who had a towel shading his eyes. Saizo was set down next to her as well. How Minato managed to get both of them out, she had no idea.

"Rest now Kushina, I have some business to attend to." Minato said, disappearing before she could say even two words to the guy.

She lay her head back and found she had a pillow already set beneath it. Finally realizing how tired she really was, she welcomed the soft bed. Her leg still throbbed, but it was almost as if it wasn't even a part of her. It started to feel cold, and she felt a hand going over it. She raised her head to see Tsunade, in all her beauty, with a hand on her leg, apparently healing the break. She was shaking her head and mumbling something under her breath. Kushina barely caught more than a few words at a time, but it was something about "damn Yellow Flash" and "stupid reckless kids". Kushina slowly drifted into a quiet slumber. The sealed kunai lay right next to her pillow, the last thing she saw before sleep took her.

****************

Night was falling, visibility was low. The fighting had died down. Minato had not had to assist any squad for about half an hour and the Iwagakure forces seemed to be retreating. None had reached the wall on this day. Tomorrow might be a different story. Strangely, before he could even fight, his enemies had begun retreating as soon as he arrived. Even if they had all but defeated almost every Konoha shinobi in the area and Minato had arrived late, they still ran, as if they were following some strange order that the Leaf shinobi knew nothing about.

Minato made one last scan of the forest before teleporting to the outer wall. It was quiet even here. The shinobi on patrol did not speak to each other, and the sleeping wounded did not stir. He located Kushina's pallet and examined her leg, which was wrapped and set in bandages. Tsunade had done her work well, as well as the other medic shinobi that took part in the healing. He smiled as he watched her sleeping....and stopped smiling when he realized what he was doing. Why did he come to her bed specifically? He got up and walked down the pathway, away from her bed, shaking his head in confusion. _I must be sick or something._


	8. Mending

Kushina's eyes snapped open, the light above her blinding her momentarily. Her hands went to her eyes to shield them from the bright light. Abruptly, however, the lights switched off and she removed her hands to see that the room had become dim, the only light pouring in coming from a hallway through an open door in her room.

"Sorry, I didn't think to turn that off," said a voice beside her. She recognized it.

She turned to see Minato sitting in a chair beside her bed. His blue eyes almost shined at her in the dim light, and his smile was big enough to be clearly visible even in the dark.

"You've been asleep for awhile. So long in fact that the battle's almost over. We've won." Minato said, leaning forward, his smile growing even bigger.

"How long exactly?" Kushina asked.

"Two nights and a day, give or take a few hours. It's morning right now. Here, let me open your window and let some sunlight in." Minato said, getting up and throwing open the curtains to let fresh sunlight pour over Kushina's bed and the rest of the room.

Kushina looked around the room and was surprised at how nice it was. She had been in the hospital a few times back in the Whirlpool village, but it was never this nice. She already knew Konoha had some crazy funding, but now she was really convinced. She turned to Minato, who was looking out of the window and down on the village below.

"Minato....I wanted to thank you. For rescuing me during the fight. If it wasn't for you....I'd be dead now. Me and Saizo." Kushina said, watching him carefully. His grin came back and he looked at her again.

"Hey, no problem Kushina. You may technically be a Whirlpool shinobi, but you fought out there with your allies, the Leaf, and for a moment you were part of the Leaf yourself. I was glad to help you." Minato replied, walking over to the chair and taking a seat again.

His words made Kushina's cheeks burn, and she had to make an effort not to blush. She had not expected the Yellow Flash to be such a good person. She had heard stories of his vicious methods of battle and his merciless killing sprees, but now that she sort of knew him, he was really nothing like the rumors said. Their first few meetings, she had not realized that, but she did now.

"Thank you.....just.......thank you. I haven't had a village to call home for awhile now."

Minato turned to her in surprise. She turned to look out the window. She looked to the north, in the direction of the Whirlpool village, or where it used to be. It was almost all ruins now, and the last few holding on would soon be swept away. She thought about her old team, and the possible surviving Whirlpool squads.

"Kushina?" Minato asked beside her.

"Hm?"

"Remember how you asked me if I could help find the missing Whirlpool squads? In that alley?" Minato asked, watching her as she gazed out at the village.

"Yes, I remember. You refused." Kushina said, turning to him, her face expressionless.

"Yes....I did. I was just thinking....now that the battle is over.....maybe I don't have to say no. I think I'll have time to search for them now, and probably send out a few teams of ANBU as well." Minato said, smiling and searching her face for any expression.

".....You will? Are you serious?" Kushina asked incredulously.

"Yes, of course I am."

Kushina leapt forward as much as she could and threw her arms around Minato, who looked overwhelmed for a moment, before he returned the hug. Kushina tried to stop them, but tears leaked out anyway, just a few staining the exterior of Minato's jounin vest. She knew they were tears of happiness.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." Kushina murmured into his vest, and she pulled back to lie back fully on the bed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. She couldn't stop smiling, either. Minato smiled back, that big stupid grin that she had come to associate with him in their short time knowing each other was plastered on his face as well.

"Your smile is infectious." Minato said, scratching the back of his head as he looked at her.

Kushina laughed, having thought the same thing, and sat up in the bed. Doing so made her realize just how hungry she really was, and before she could do anything to stop it, her stomach growled out loud. Minato laughed and stood up.

"I can fix that." Minato said, standing up and leaving the room before coming back a plate decked out with fruits, vegetables, and a few slabs of meat.

"You really didn't have to...." Kushina said, looking at the food as he offered it to her.

"Eat.....please." Minato said, starting to get up and leave before he realized Kushina was giving him a puzzled look.

"What is it?" He asked, half turning to face her.

"Why are you here? Have I become more important to the village because of something I'm not aware of?" Kushina asked, suspicious.

"I...........since....you are technically a refugee here in Konoha, I was tasked by the Hokage to show you around." Minato explained, obviously wanting to leave quickly without trying to make it seem that way.

Kushina looked at him for a moment longer. Her food lay in her lap untouched, she just stared at him. Minato broke eye contact and left, closing the door gently behind him.


	9. Ready and Able

"But Ms. Uzumaki, you must rest! You are not fully healed....you must stay longer! Please!" The nurse cried, flinging herself on Kushina and trying to physically force the redhead to get back into her bed.

Kushina pushed the nurse back and began throwing on her clothes, tripping as she tried to get her pants on. She knocked over an end table, causing items to scatter all over the room and make a rather large amount of noise. The nurse sat in the corner in horror as Kushina growled and managed to get her pants on. She then hurriedly starting throwing food and other ninja supplies into her pack before turning to the frightened woman. Looming over the nurse, she gave her a stare as if daring her to laugh. Then she began to leave.

"Thank you....for choosing Konoha....General Hospital....we hope you had a –" The nurse began, voice breaking with fear.

"Oh shut it, woman." Kushina said, slamming the door behind her.

Outside she stretched and did a few light hops to get her blood flowing. She felt great, like she could do anything. Tsunade's healing really did the trick. Despite her annoyance with the nurse, she appreciated that the woman cared. Still, she was in the mood to scare someone right then and there. Another nurse was walking by and Kushina lunged at her, but drew back, causing the nurse to jump and walk away quickly, looking back at her with a reproachful glare. _Haha, that felt good._

Once outside the hospital, she noticed that it was almost dark outside. It had been a week since she had been admitted, and everyday she watched this same spot she stood in now from the window. She looked up at her hospital window, and shuddered. It had sucked in there. She had wanted to get things done, and sitting on her butt for a week was just a waste of time.

She also had to listen to Minato's boring lecture about the history, politics, and general culture of the Leaf Village. By the end of his hour long lectures, she thoroughly wanted to commit suicide, or force him to commit suicide. Either choice would have worked for her. Still, she had to admit, it was sort of fun.

"_Konoha is ruled by a central council. This council makes all the decisions for the village. It consists of three people. The Lord Hokage and his two advisors, who also used to be his teammates back when he was a Genin. Kushina? Kushina.....WAKE UP!" Minato yelled, shaking her._

"_Oh yeah...sorry, I don't want to miss all this VERY interesting information." Kushina said sarcastically, suppressing a smile as he put on an agitated air._

_With a rather condescending "as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted" he continued the lecture. She stopped him again a few minutes later._

"_Um.....Minato....could you get me a dictionary? I'd rather read that then listen to you go on about –"_

"_Dammit Kushina!"_

The memory made her giggle. Now she just had to figure out what she was going to do next. Everyday he had come to visit and tell her all about Konoha, Minato had also told her how the search for her missing friends was coming along. Right now they had turned nothing up, but she wanted to look herself. Maybe, since she knew all of them, she would find something that the Konoha shinobi did not know to look for.

She decided she'd find Minato and help him search. She started off but got about a block from the hospital before she realized that she had no idea where to find Minato in this huge village. She figured Tsunade would know, and maybe she should ask her, but the woman was seldom at the hospital and was probably out healing people during the war. Other then that, she really knew no one else in the village, except her team from the battle a week ago. _Now that I think of it, I wonder if Saizo is alright? Probably out there fighting right now, like I should be doing._

"Are you Kushina Uzumaki?" A deep voice droned from behind her.

She yelped in surprise, almost jumping out of her skin. Her pack flew off and slid across the pavement. She turned to the source of the voice to yell at the dude for frightening her, but froze when she saw it was an ANBU, sporting the mask on his face and a Konoha headband on his forehead. She hurriedly retrieved her pack and put it back on, looking embarrassed at being so surprised. _Bastards are so quiet._

"Yeah, I'm her. What's up?" Kushina asked, crossing her arms and trying not to look angry. _One more episode like that and I swear I'll have a heart attack._

"You have been summoned by the Lord Hokage. He wants to see you immediately. He is at the central government building." The ANBU said, pointing at the building. Kushina looked at it.

"OK...yeah, I know where that is. But why is he summoning me?" Kushina asked, turning back to the ANBU, but was shocked to see he had already left. _Nice manners buddy. Well, mine as well make my way there._

By the time Kushina had navigated her way through Konoha's winding streets, darkness had completely fell over Konoha. The government building sat in front of her, the Hokage monument looming behind it. Anyone that walked through those doors would see the Hokage faces before them. The three of them glared as if passing down judgment on any who entered. The streets were relatively quiet, with a few souls passing here and there and a few hushed conversations being held on street corners.

She pushed the huge double doors open and went inside. It was well lit, the light pouring out of the building and hitting the steps she had just ascended before the doors clanged shut. Giant pillars rose to either side of her, holding up a very high ceiling. Chandeliers also hung overhead, candles burning on them and casting a strong light over the entire room. The small spaces behind the columns were not reached though, shadows and darkness had prevailed in these spots. The whole place had a creepy feeling. She walked up to the receptionist. The woman looked up as she approached. She was young, looked no older than Kushina herself.

"Hello ma'am. May I help you?" She asked.

"I'm here to see the Lord Hokage. I was summoned. My name is Kushina Uzumaki."

"Oh yes, I was expecting you Ms. Uzumaki. Follow me." The receptionist stood up and began walking back into a hallway leading deeper into the building.

Kushina followed her for what must have been fifteen minutes before they finally came out into a large room. Before her sat a platform, with three chairs, the one in the middle slightly ahead of the others. In them sat three people. One of them was obviously the Hokage, sitting in the middle chair, his robes marking him for Hokage just as much as his knowledgeable eyes and powerful presence. The other two were just as old, and flanked him on each side. They watched her, their fingers steepled beneath their chins. She felt the intensity of their glare even though she stood at a relatively safe distance.

"Kushina Uzumaki, Lord Hokage." The receptionist said, her arms sweeping out to indicate Kushina.

"Thank you. Kushina Uzumaki....come closer." The Lord Hokage said, as the receptionist left.

She stepped forward hesitantly. She had to admit that she was nervous underneath the gazes of three of the most potentially powerful people in the village, when it came to politics at least. However, she did not doubt the Lord Hokage's skill. The two flanking him didn't really look like they could do much though. She made it a thought not to underestimate them either, however.

"Lord Hokage, may I ask why you summoned me here?" Kushina asked, surprised when her voice came out with strength, keeping it rock steady.

"You mean no one told you? Surely someone at least gave you that bit of information before you found yourself here." The Lord Hokage said, his rasping voice seeming amplified in the chamber.

When Kushina shook her head, the Hokage leaned over to converse with his advisors. Kushina tried to hear what they were saying, but they where whispering, and she did not dare attempt to get closer, lest they think she was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. After a moment he looked back at her, and his eyes latching back onto her caused her stomach to do somersaults.

"I will tell you why we have summoned you. You are a shinobi of the Whirlpool village. We believe you may be the last, but we are still attempting to find others as we speak here in this room. You are in our ninja records and right now you are classified as a ninja of this village. All this you have agreed to, am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Kushina replied, trying in her mind to grasp where he was going with all this.

"That is good. I have summoned you here today for one purpose. You are here for a special reason. We have decided to make you a candidate for a possible promotion to Jounin." The Hokage finally said, searching her face for any sign of surprise. Kushina was a bit taken aback, but she made it a point not to let it show in front of these powerful people.

"If I may ask sir, how exactly did you reach this verdict?" Kushina asked, still keeping her voice steady.

"You were recommended to us by someone who carries quite a lot of weight in this council. His name is Minato Namikaze. He wrote a report and recommendation specifically for you. He was backed by a handful of other Jounin when he wrote it as well."

Kushina's eyes widened. What was he doing, going and pulling something like that? How did he know she was even ready? _He's probably trying to get me killed to get back at me for giving him so much crap during his lectures._ She wondered if she had to do any fighting to become a Jounin, like fight against another Jounin or something. She definitely didn't rule out that possibility.

"Although, how you could possibly have learned the things necessary to pass your induction exam is beyond me." The man to the Hokage's right said in a condescending manner.

"The very thought of an outsider becoming Jounin after a mere week and a half of inhabiting the village is preposterous." The woman to the left said, agreeing with the one on the right. Kushina wanted to do them bodily harm, more than she wanted to do to others on a regular basis.

"Now, now, we cannot know this until she actually takes the test. Aside from that Kushina, Namikaze wrote in his report that you exhibited great courage on the battlefield, as well as great skill in battle, incapacitating numerous opponents with rather limited injury to yourself. He said you were willing to fight to protect others and had enough battle experience to easily qualify for the Jounin rank. A recommendation from an esteemed ninja such as Minato has me convinced. You are ready to take the written portion of the Jounin exam." The Lord Hokage said, looking at the other two as if daring them to challenge his decision. Kushina swallowed, trying to make it as quiet and unnoticeable as possible.

"Great. Bring it on."


	10. Flash of Reckoning, Pencil of Death

Sweat soaked Kushina's neck and a few sparse drops made their way down her face as she stared up at the clock. She had exactly two hours to complete the test, and her first hour was already up. Luckily, she had already managed to get through about ¾ of the test without really having that much difficulty. _They've all been about the history and culture of Konoha. Each and every single one. Minato...you are really something else, you know that?_

If it wasn't for him, she would have failed it miserably. His lectures while she was in the hospital, being so recent, were the only things she remembered while taking the test and it allowed her to basically get them all right, or at least she thought. Some she was a little shady on, but for the most part, she knew pretty much all of them. She reminded herself to hug Minato the next time she saw him, and probably smack him for recommending her for Jounin without even talking to her about it first.

She finished her test and went out into the Hokage chamber again. She handed the test to the Third and he put it on his desk before addressing her again.

"Kushina Uzumaki. You have finished the written portion of the test. It has taken you approximately one hour and twenty seven minutes to do so. There are two more phases of the test that you must pass before you can become a shinobi of the Jounin rank. You may return to your place of residence for now, and we shall summon you when the time comes. We will be scoring your test, all 150 questions, and get the results back to you. If you pass, you will be summoned. If you fail, you will have to try again in two years minimum time. Thank you, you may leave."

Kushina bowed and began to make her way out. Her sweating had stopped, but now the waiting began. She knew she passed, but did she really? She had no way to be sure until she saw her scores right in front of her, down on paper, officially.

"One more thing Kushina," the old Hokage said, causing her to turn and listen respectfully. "The next phase of the test requires you to perform some very physically grueling tasks. You should best be prepared for it."

The lights suddenly dimmed over the three leaders and they were lost from her view, but she murmured a respectful thank you and within a few minutes found herself at the entrance to the giant government building. The night really was quiet, all the residents, even the night owls, finally asleep in their beds. She scanned the rooftops to see if she could spot any patrolling ANBU. She knew they were there. Minato had told her in his lectures that they patrolled Konoha 24/7.

She was impressed, however. Out of every time she had searched, she had really only spotted one of them on one occasion. And that time she might have been seeing things. She searched for a few minutes, but did not manage to spot one. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed for the hotel. She was tired, and she had to make sure her body was ready.

*************

Minato crept from tree to tree, keeping clear of the campsite. At least a dozen mist shinobi watched over their four Whirlpool captives, who all looked in pretty rough shape. Mist ninja were never gentle with their catch. Minato threw a few small shuriken at the closest Mist shinobi, who fell with a small groan. The camp immediately went loud.

"What the hell was that?"

"They came from the woods! We're under attack!"

"They came from that direction! Get up there and find out who's responsible for this!"

All the mist shinobi started moving in his direction. The captives were tied up and apparently and gagged in the middle of the camp. There was one guard. Minato flashed to the other side of the camp as the mist shinobi poured into the other side of the forest where they thought he was. A quick handsign detonated the exploding tags there, taking out most of their force. The lone guard yelled out to see if anyone was left. No answer.

Minato slowly walked out of the forest and into the camp. The guard drew his kunai and tossed it up a few times, laughing.

"You think you're pretty damn clever don't you." He said in a raspy voice.

He blinked in surprise when the kunai did not land in his hand. Minato pressed the cold blade to his throat.

"You're sloppy." Minato said in his ear.

"It....it can't be. You're...." The man stammered, but Minato pressed a fist into his back, forcing him to go to the ground.

"Get out of my sight. Go back to your Mizukage. Tell him the Yellow Flash sent you." Minato whispered, keeping his voice deadly.

He released the guard and the man tripped a few times as he stumbled out of the camp in fear. Minato turned to the hostages, who were looking at him as if he was the messiah. He moved towards them to untie them. A kunai sped towards him from the forest, and he dodged, bringing up his kunai to block a few incoming shuriken. A figure flipped over his head and landed directly behind him. He spun and brought up his kunai to block a slash from whoever was attacking him, but the enemy's kunai caught his sleeve, creating a clean slice on his arm.

He leapt back to get a good look at his attacker. The man was tall and slim, but with a slight tone to his muscle. He wore a Jounin vest with the sleeves cut off and his blue hair was kept in check only by the Kirigakure headband latched around his head. His eyes were cold. Minato could tell he was used to killing and probably did a lot of it.

"The Yellow Flash eh? You certainly know who you are. You scared that guy back there pretty bad." The man said, his voice smooth and quick, like a viper.

"You're not too bad yourself actually. You managed to nick me." Minato said, smiling.

"It'll be a lot worse if you don't leave the hostages and get out of here right now." The man replied, smiling himself.

"You're really cocky for a second rate Mist Jounin. That small cut is all you'll get." Minato said, moving to stand in front of the hostages.

"Why is that? Do you have some magical speed you're not telling me about? You seemed pretty slow before." The mist ninja said, moving towards him with his kunai raised.

"Because you let me get close enough to finish this fight before it really even started." Minato said, disappearing and reappearing right behind the man.

The mist ninja looked down at the seal planted on his hip and curse aloud. Minato sliced through the man's throat and pushed his struggling body away. The man's gurgles sounded for another few minutes as Minato worked to untie the hostages. He took out their gags. Three were little more than children, and the other seemed to be their team leader. A Jounin, by the look of him. He came up and almost hugged Minato.

"Thank you so much. You were truly brilliant. How can we ever repay you?" The man said tearfully, gripping Minato's arms in endless gratitude.

"Please...don't thank me, thank the Hokage. He's the one that located you guys. I'm just the middle man." Minato said, putting on his trademark grin.

*************

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Minato's got saving people down to an art by now, for sure. More to come soon guys. Thank you for reviewing! I love all people who review! Honestly, if I could give you an endless supply of cookies for reviewing, I would.**


	11. An Important Meeting

Kushina stood outside the Namikaze residence, a fancy single story house that was closer to her hotel than she had previously imagined from Tsunade's directions. It was a shabby little place and it certainly didn't look like a place where a shinobi as famous as Minato would live. The garden in front was well tended, however, which surprised her. _And I expected the place to be all clean and orderly. Watch...the inside will look like a hospital waiting lounge._

She knocked on the door and after a few minutes of recieving no answer, went straight in. Her mouth hung open as soon as he entered. The entire place was the tidiest bit of living space she had ever seen. Nothing was out of place. Every pot and pan hung perfectly from the rack in the kitchen, each pillow was arranged perfectly on the sofa, and the rugs lay straight and undisturbed. She stepped gingerly, afraid she might disrupt the order of it all. _This is more than just a little bit creepy. Now where is the guy?_

She searched deeper into the house. She explored every nook and cranny, careful not to disturb anything in his bedroom. She stopped to look at the pictures on his mantle above his bed. One included him and Kakashi, along with two other kids wearing Konoha headbands. That must be his team. She had already met Kakashi. She wondered what the other two were like.

A little more exploring and she came to a staircase leading down into a basement area of the house. She took it carefully and she heard a few voices talking quietly in the room below. Eventually the ground level and she finally saw Minato, leaning over a table, doing something that she couldn't see due to him standing in front of it. She could make out his words however.

"Holy cookie cutters Mr. Wiggles, you almost stepped on my potatoes....." Minato said in a squeaky voice. Kushina moved in closer and realized what he was doing. Playing with stuffed animals. Kushina didn't know whether to break out laughing or keep staring in disbelief.

"Oh I'm sorry. You just have them laying out here...in the middle of rabbit season of all times. In fact I could swear I saw an armadillo earlier eyeing these potatoes!" Minato said in a deeper voice now. Kushina still couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Um....Minato." She said cautiously.

Minato jumped and literally screamed in fear, sending his stuffed animal table crashing backwards, him along with it. Stuffed animals flew all over the basement. Kushina shielded herself as the figures seemed to have minds of their own, flying in every direction and not stopping to spare her. Minato climbed out of the wreckage looking angry.

"Couldn't you have knocked!?" He shouted, face going terribly red as he noticed his prized possessions all over the floor.

"I did you big moron! Three...count it THREE times!" She said, yelling back and showing him three fingers to emphasize her point.

"Well then you should have just left! What were you thinking barging into someone's house like that without even KNOCKING! I could have been taking a shower...or...." Minato said, faltering, but still looking angry.

"Or playing with stuffed animals?" Kushina said, smiling and picking up one of the little guys.

"It isn't what it looked like." Minato said desperately as Kushina examined the little critter, which looked like a teddy bear.

"Is this Mr. Wiggles here? Awww, how cute Minato." Kushina said, laughing when Minato's face went even redder and he lunged for the bear. She moved it quickly out of his grip. Now she was really making him mad. Minato stomped around the basement, careful not to step on any of his stuffed animals.

"I don't know how you people in Whirlpool do things...but HERE...in Konoha we don't walk into people's houses without permission!" Minato said, lunging for Mr. Wiggles again and managing to grab it from her grip. Kushina pushed him backwards, sending him crashing into his stuffed animal table again. She advanced on him and grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him close to her. Minato looked taken aback by her anger.

"Oh yeah? Well I'll have you know that Konoha is full of the rudest, snobbiest, ugliest guys I've ever met! In fact...I'm looking at one right now!" Kushina said, releasing his collar and dropping him to the ground.

"Yeah? Well if every Whirlpool woman is like you, I never want to meet another one in my entire life!" Minato yelled back, throwing Mr. Wiggles at her. Kushina dodged the flying Mr. Wiggles and rounded on Minato again.

"Oh shut it! Why don't you just keep playing dress up with your dolls, stuffed animal boy!" Kushina shouted, stepping on a doll's head and laughing as Minato seemed to visibly suffer. She continued to grind its head into the basement floor but stopped when Minato doubled over and seemed to shake.

At first she thought he was crying, but after pushing him backwards and turning him over she realized what was happening. He was laughing.

"Hey, what's so funny? Are you laughing at me?" Kushina asked angrily. Minato stopped a moment to take a breath, and then without warning pulled her down into the ground with him, flipping her over as she fell into a pile of stuffed animals. He advanced on her before he could react, tickling her ribs without mercy.

Kushina could barely breathe as Minato assaulted her ribs with his tickle power. She saw Mr. Wiggles lying amongst other stuffed animals and reached for him, only to have Minato quick the stuffed bear away.

"No! I won't let you use Mr. Wiggles as a weapon anymore! He deserves better than that!" Minato yelled in between his tickling, causing Kushina, despite her anger, to erupt in laughter as well.

Needless to say, when it was all said and done, both Minato and Kushina lay amongst stuffed animals, out of breath and still giggling off and on for a few minutes. Silence followed for a solid five minutes before Minato finally broke it.

"So....what did you come here for anyway?"


	12. Happiness and Anger

Kushina looked at Minato in surprise, as he sat up in the pile of stuffed animals. In midst of the surprise of finding out the fearless Yellow Flash acted out various scenes involving vegetables and stuffed animals, she had completely forgotten why she was seeking him out in the first place.

"Let me guess...you were coming to visit me? " Minato said, standing up and brushing himself off while smiling at her slyly.

"No....well....I needed to talk to you about a few things." She said, rising to meet him. He looked at her for a minute before he spoke.

"What do you need?" He asked, expression unreadable.

"I need to know if you've found any trace of Whirlpool shinobi. It's been about...two weeks since you told me you'd search for them, right?" Kushina asked anxiously, but politely.

"Yeah...it'd probably be best if we talked about this over some drinks. Follow me." Minato said, heading towards the stairs that led out of the basement.

After they had gotten drinks in the kitchen, they both sat in the living room. Minato stared into the small flame going in the fireplace. Kushina was on the edges of its warmth. Minato's house was cozy, if a little freakishly clean. She looked around again and wondered how he kept everything so perfect. After a moment, Minato turned to her and smiled kindly.

"I know you came here to ask about the Whirlpool shinobi. You don't need to worry. I've already found one of the missing squads." Minato said, watching Kushina's eyes light up.

"You...what? You found them? Where? When? Where are they now?" Kushina asked hurriedly.

"They were being held captive at a small Mist shinobi camp. I infiltrated the camp and recovered them a few nights ago. Right now they're staying at a hotel near the Hokage monument. I think it'd be best if you go and see them as soon as you can. They're in a land of strangers and it'd definitely do them good to see a fellow Whirlpool shinobi. There are Whirlpool refugees here too. They're morale could also be raised by a visit from a fine shinobi like yourself." Minato said, sipping his drink. He nearly spilled his drink in surprise when Kushina gave him a fierce hug.

"I can't tell you how much this means to me Minato! Thank you so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll go and see them right away!" Kushina said excitedly, drawing back and heading for the door.

"Kushina...wait a moment." Minato said, causing her to stop with the door half open. She turned to regard him, blue eyes full of excitement. "You obviously know by now but...I put your name up for Jounin. From what I saw in the battle, you were ready. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with that." Minato said, dreading her reply. Her blue eyes just twinkled and her smile grew wider.

"Of course I am. We'll talk more about that later, I promise. I'll stop by tomorrow morning." Kushina said, nearly out of breath.

"Alright, we can talk over breakfast." Minato said, looking amused.

"Sounds good! I'll see you tomorrow! Thanks again!" Kushina said, dashing out the door. Minato followed her through the window as she sprinted out into the moonlit night, heading in the direction of the hotel where her Whirlpool comrades were staying. He couldn't help but let a smile creep over his face as her figure faded from sight into the night. _Such beautiful eyes, _he thought.

**200 miles away**

The Mizukage stood at the window in his office, looking out over the Village Hidden in the Mist. His village, his dominion, and it was being threatened. He nearly seethed with rage, as about an hour ago, his brother, his right hand man, had come informing him that some of the Whirlpool shinobi they had taken hostage in battle had been rescued and a good number of Kirigakure ninja had been killed in the process. Including one of his stronger jounin.

"Who the...who the fuck is responsible for this?" He had demanded.

"Who do you think?" His brother had replied, watching the Mizukage warily. The Kage's control on his temper left something to be desired.

"The...Yellow Flash....that bastard again." He said, shaking with rage.

"Yes, our intel has not been able to keep tabs on him. Scouts have reported the loss of several patrols, as well as an entire platoon that ventured close to the Konoha border. The platoon was engaging Konoha forces when...as a surviving shinobi put it...the entire front line fell simultaneously. By the time they knew what was going on, a yellow haired shinobi had a kunai to the commander's neck and his bodyguards had all been floored. Sir...this Yellow Flash...if he keeps this up, we will lose this war." His brother warned, not flinching when the Mizukage punched a hole in his office wall.

"THIS BASTARD! First the battle at Whirlpool, then the invasion at Konoha, now this shit!! You're right, Jab. The Yellow Flash needs to die if we're going to have any chance to win this war, and he needs to die soon. Conventional forces won't work though....no....this is a special case." The Mizukage said, seeming to regain his temper for a moment.

"What would you recommend, my brother?" Jab asked cautiously. The Mizukage was silent for a moment, going back to the window and looking out into the mist, watching the silhouettes of his people moving throughout the village. He looked, to Jab, to be silently brooding.

"I must fight him. I must engage him one on one. In the meantime, keep our forces away from him. If he shows up on the battlefield, tell the commanders to order an instant retreat, even if we are winning. Engaging him head on would just result in a massacre. In the meantime, I will devise a way to meet him on the battlefield, one on one."

"Are you sure brother? You are the strongest in this village by far, but the Leaf has its own Hokage. What if the Sandaime insists on facing you, and the Yellow Flash withdraws?" Jab asked, thinking his brother insane for wanting to go into battle when so much was at stake.

"Don't question me dammit! I'll kill that old bastard too, after I'm done with this yellow haired piece of shit! Konoha will perish! Every bit of Konoha will be wiped from the history books! I'll slaughter EVERYONE in that fucking village! I WILL BURN THE LEAF VILLAGE TO THE GROUND!"


	13. Meeting the Toad Sage

Morning in Konoha was always peaceful. As Jiraiya walked down the nearly empty streets, a dim morning glow illuminated the city. This was his favorite time of the day, his favorite moment to be outdoors. Nothing touched him quite like seeing this village right before everyone awoke, as the sun's very first light gave the village a beautiful sheen. It was like a volcano on the edge of eruption, only a lot less ominous for sure.

He laughed while he thought about the metaphors involving eruptions and volcanoes. They would be useful in his next book. His last few novels had been pretty unpopular and he was desperately looking for motivation. He had consulted Tsunade various times, trying to get her input and on what she thought about this and that. It was hard getting her to come round, but after she shared one idea it wasn't hard getting a few more out of her.

His thoughts ventured elsewhere as he looked up at the Hokage monument. His eyes often wandered there without realizing what he was doing and before he knew it, he was thinking about the next Hokage. More than ever, he thought of Minato when he looked at that mountain face. Minato and Orochimaru, but mostly Minato. The race for Hokage was well known throughout the entire village, amongst shinobi and citizens alike, and EVERYONE seemed to want to ask Jiraiya. He was the student of the current Hokage, the teacher of one of the candidates, and the best friend of the other. So naturally, everyone thought he would know who the Third was going to pick. He told them the truth each time; he had no fucking idea. _If someone asks me one more time why I'm not Hokage, I'll have Gamabunta swallow him. _But that was a separate thought.

He then realized that he had stopped walking. Feeling like an idiot, he kept on towards Minato's house. The boy would still be asleep, but he couldn't let his first visit to the village in a week go without a visit. He had missed the boy. After all, Minato had been the only person in his thoughts for awhile now. He found it hard to think of anything else.

He was so proud of that boy, he nearly wept thinking of what it would be like if Minato were to become Hokage. He knew he'd be right next to Minato at the induction ceremony, crying like a baby in front of all those people. On second thought, maybe he'd just watch from the background. He was never one to get more involved than he had to. _When it comes down to it...maybe I love him too much to avoid doing it._

He pondered this thought and finally found himself at Minato's front door. He had always insisted that the blonde get a bigger house. He had a fortune after all, because of all the missions. Minato had assured him that it was not important, as he was barely ever home to live in it. He did so many missions that Jiraiya wondered if he even had time to take a shower. The thought reminded the sage that he himself hadn't showered in a week. _Hopefully Minato will appreciate it as a manly smell_.

"Hey dude...are you gonna knock, or just stand there?"

Jiraiya spun to meet the person who had just spoke, and was very surprised to see a young girl standing there, arms folded across her chest, looking at him like he was the biggest idiot in Konoha. She looked to be at least 16 or 17, shoulder length red hair with light skin. She wasn't tall by any means but the way she stood and carried herself made her seem like she was looking down at him when she spoke. Her eyes stood out to him, like blue sapphires shining in the dim morning light. They had a mischievous glow to them though, as if she was laughing at a joke that only she understood and she was waiting for everyone else to get a clue. All in all, he had to say she was very lovely.

"And just who might you be, girl?" He asked, trying to sound as condescending as possible.

"Name's Kushina Uzumaki. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to meet Minato...while we're young here, grandpa." She said nonchalantly, not threatened by Jiraiya's manly tone. _This girl is trouble in human form, _he thought.

"You really know nothing do you girl? I am the Toad Sage, I should be treated with the respect and admiration that I deserve. Now, you're obviously not from this village, but I have no doubts that my exploits have reached your ears at least once in the past. So please, quickly pay your respects and then be on your way. I have a meeting with my esteemed student and I do wish it not to be interrupted." Jiraiya said, looking at her expectantly. She opened her mouth, looking like she was about to flay his hide with her tongue, when suddenly they both became aware of Minato standing in the open doorway. The blonde was looking at them like they were both rabid dogs, but when he saw both of them staring he just put on a smile and moved aside as if to let them both into the house.

"Now that we're all friends here, why don't you guys come inside? You'll catch cold out here, it's pretty humid." Minato said, scratching his head and forcing a short laugh.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Alright, so after a loooooong time of no updates, I whipped up these past two chapters for all you readers. I really wanted to continue this story but school and sports has kept me so busy. I'm glad to announce that with my graduation coming up, this story is officially continued and I'll have new chapters out MUCH faster now. I love this story and will continue to update it as much as possible, as well as introduce new characters that are central to the plot.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed both when this story started all the way up to the last chapter I posted after who knows how many months of inactivity. I love you all!**

**Also, KushinaxMinato is getting close. Stay tuned.**


	14. Reminiscing of the Past

Jiraiya had planned on taking Minato aside and speaking with him as soon as they were inside, but the red headed kunoichi cornered the blonde shinobi in the kitchen and began chattering away about something Jiraiya could not manage to understand from what he heard. She was talking about teammates, other shinobi and Minato was listening intently while also trying to manage the breakfast cooking on the stove. The girl was talking almost a mile a minute, and Jiraiya had no idea how Minato was following any of it.

_Kushina Uzumaki, _he thought. _That last name. So she's from Whirlpool is she? She must have had it rough._

From what Jiraiya could recall, the Whirlpool country and village had been a place of war since the First Shinobi World War and many battles had been fought there. It had held out until recently, when Kirigakure had nearly wiped out the entire village. The refugees and few shinobi that were left had fled to the Leaf Village. If it wasn't for the Leaf, the entire village would have been wiped out. The Mist ninja had been disturbingly...thorough. _This girl is lucky to still be alive._

Frowning, Jiraiya attempted to remember what little he did know about the village, and what he had learned in the one visit he had made there. Uzumaki had been a very common last name in the Whirlpool village, but hard as he tried, he could not remember the significance of it. He did know that the village had been rebuilt many times before its final destruction at the hands of Kirigakure. The people from there were stereotyped as stubborn and unwilling to give up. Jiraiya had liked the sound of that.

From what he had seen though, all Kushina had was a lack in proper manners, and a tendency not to show respect for anyone with a little white in their hair. He strolled over to the two, who were still talking amongst themselves excitedly.

"Um...are you young people going to chat the day away or will I get a chance to catch up with my favorite student?" Jiraiya asked, looking at Minato expectantly.

"Student? Minato...you were taught by this guy?" Kushina asked, turning rapidly from him to Jiraiya.

"Yeah, you haven't heard of him? He's one of the Legendary Sannin." Minato said, looking at Kushina in disbelief.

"No way...you're telling me I'm in the same house with the Yellow Flash and one of the Sannin? What the hell is going on here? Are you two trying to seduce me with your titles?" Kushina asked, looking at them suspiciously. Minato threw back his head and laughed and Jiraiya chuckled.

"Of course not." Minato said, at the same time Jiraiya said "I'd like that." The two looked at each other and laughed again, while Kushina shook her head and muttered something derogatory about men.

"Minato...I must say, you picked right this time. She's better than most of the hussies you have up in this place whenever I come to visit. Well...that actually reminds me of that one time that you had those three babes over here. Man, what happened to those girls? They were...energetic when I invited them to spend an evening with the gallant Jiraiya." Jiraiya chuckled, while Minato did everything he could to avoid Kushina's sudden look of incredulity.

"Wow Minato, three girls at once? I guess the Yellow Flash isn't as innocent as he appears when it comes to women." Kushina said, voice strangely neutral.

"HAHA! Looks like someone is jealous, esteemed student." Jiraiya said, addressing Minato and ducking when Kushina aimed a swipe at his face.

"I am not! Me and Minato are not in a relationship, for your information! He's just a really good friend. I don't give a damn about who he sleeps with, you old pervy sage!" Kushina yelled defensively, though her face reddened noticeably. Minato seemed to be looking at the wall as if he wanted to burrow through it and into the next room, away from the two other arguing shinobi.

"I think I have to go to the bathroom. Make sure the bacon doesn't burn." Minato said, cutting across the kitchen and into the next room, slamming the door in his haste. This left Jiraiya and Kushina alone in the kitchen. Jiraiya rounded on Kushina once the blonde had left.

"Now look what you did, you scared him off." Jiraiya said, shaking his head as Kushina looked at the closed door Minato had just went through.

"Wow...he sure left in a hurry. Touchy subject?" Kushina asked.

"Touchy? No way," Jiraiya waved a hand dismissively. "Minato is a natural with the ladies when he wants to be. He's even better than yours truly. I guess when I trained him, some of my good looks transferred to him and now he's a stud, just like his teacher. I'm so proud!" Jiraiya said, taking out a tissue and dabbing at his cheeks. Kushina fixed him with a flat expression.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he doesn't like all the attention?" She asked. The sage stared back quizzically.

"Are you trying to say...that he might be gay?"

"NO! Of course not! I'm just saying that maybe he doesn't like all the attention he gets from women. Some men actually manage to do a good job of being modest. Very few of them. I know that's probably not in your dictionary, but Minato is a genuinely nice person. It's completely understandable if he doesn't like to be fawned over like some specimen in a museum. All those women just want him because he's the most famous shinobi in the village. They don't really care how great of a personality he has, or what kind of person he is. He's probably looking for real love, the kind you can only find with one person." Kushina said simply, scraping some of the smoking bacon off onto a plate.

"Sounds to me like you might have a little crush on him." Jiraiya said, watching her carefully. She spun, and opened her mouth as if to give him a tongue lashing, but it fell closed without a sound. Looking abashed, she turned back to the stove and started putting food on her own plate. Her cheeks had a slight tint of red.

"Still," Jiraiya began. "That was pretty eloquent. Beautiful, intelligent, and stubborn. You are definitely from the Whirlpool"

Kushina did not turn from the preparing her plate, but Jiraiya saw her jump a little in surprise, before turning halfway around to stare at him suspiciously

"You are familiar with my people?"

"I've come across them in my travels. I've only been to your village once, but I was impressed with what I saw. The ability of you Whirlpool types to endure is admirable. Not only that, but even with war raging all around it, the village managed to retain its beauty." Jiraiya said, remembering that beauty fondly. Kushina looked away from him, but not before Jiraiya could see some sadness in her eyes. He immediately felt bad for bringing up her old village. It probably brought her many painful memories. She spoke again, though, her voice masking the sadness she no doubt must of felt at that moment.

"Yes, it was very beautiful. When did you visit, and why?"

"It was about five years ago, and I was looking for a new village in which to do research. It was right before the war started and I was curious about the Whirlpool village. You see, I had never been there. Needless to say, it was time well spent. One visit was all it took to realize how extraordinary your village really was, or rather, its people. Here in Konoha, we would say that you all had a very strong unified Will of Fire." Jiraiya said, smiling as he reminisced. Kushina smiled back. Jiraiya was taken aback by this. She was beautiful as she was, but when she smiled, a whole other beauty was revealed. The sadness was still in her eyes, though. It made Jiraiya's heart clench.

"Thank you. Your words touch my heart." She said softly. "I like to think that I am still a Whirlpool shinobi, and always will be, regardless of whether or not the village is...destroyed. I have many painful memories there, but it is still my home. It feels good to talk about it again." She said, sitting down to eat. Jiraiya joined her and they spent the next half hour talking happily about her homeland.

Suddenly, while Kushina was in the middle of telling Jiraiya about popular foods in the Whirlpool, Minato burst into the kitchen from the room he had retreated earlier. He was wearing his Jonin gear this time. Jiraiya and Kushina looked at him curiously. His entrance had cut off their conversation and they were both wondering what he had been doing in there the entire time besides avoiding the uncomfortable situation he had been put in before. He looked back and forth between the two of them before his eyes settled on Kushina.

"You there, you crazy redhead. You're gonna be a Jonin right?" He asked, his voice cool and smooth. It reminded her of the first time she had met him, when he had faced down all the Kirigakure shinobi outside the Whirlpool village in all that mist. Still, the question took her off guard. It took a few seconds for her to answer.

"Yes, of course. Why do you ask? You finally wanted to talk to me about it instead of locking yourself up in your room?" She asked, crossing her arms beneath her breasts and looking at him expectantly. He instantly put an amused look on. If any of his mannerisms could be said to annoy her, it was that amused stare. It was as if he was making fun of her in his mind.

"No, actually. I wanted to help you train." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Help me train?"

"Yeah, you're going to have to preform at your peak in order to pass the exams. The physical portion of the exam tests your fighting ability and your ability to survive in a battle situation. Your taijitsu and ninjutsu need to be at their peak. So I figured I'd help you as much as possible. I put your name up for these exams, the least I could do is help you prepare for them. Besides, I'm curious as to what kind of ninjutsu you use." He said, turning to Jiraiya now. "You can come too, sensei. I think you can help Kushina out too. I also want to work more on the Rasengan if we have time. I haven't gotten the chance to lately, because of the war, and I think I'm close to figuring something out."

"The Rasengan? What is that, some super jutsu?" Kushina asked, looking back and forth between Jiraiya and Minato. Minato scratched his head and shrugged.

"I wouldn't really call it a super jutsu, but it is pretty strong. It's just something I came up with one day when I was experimenting with elemental chakra. I'll show it to you if we have time." Minato said, fumbling in his bag for something. He took out a kunai with a special seal on it.

"Oh man, and I thought my teaching days were over. Still, I suppose I can impart some of my wisdom." Jiraiya said, yawning and slouching in the chair.

"Sounds good sensei. Let's get to the training grounds!"

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **

**Woo! You guys will get to see some of Kushina's ninjutsu next chapter. It should be exciting. Also, maybe some KushinaxMinato development near the end of this next chapter. I told this chapter mostly from Jiraiya's point of view but it kind of changed towards the end there.**

**Anyway, Jiraiya is one of my favorite characters so he might have a major supporting role in this story. Expect more characters to be introduced as well as more scenes including Minato's Genin team that we know so well.**

**Thanks for reading everyone and please keep reviewing! It gives me so much encouragement to continue the story and the people begging for me to continue were what made me come back from that long break I took from this awesome story!**


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